Question

The Smiths spend 10% of their budget on entertainment. Their total budget this year is $3,000 more than last year, and this year they plan to spend $5,000 on entertainment. What was their total budget last year?

Answer 1

Answer: $47,000

Explanation:

Hi, to answer this question we have to write an equation:

Their total budget this year is $3,000 more than last year, so we have to add 3000 to their total budged of last year (x). x+3000

Since they spend 10% of their budget on entertainment, we have to multiply the previous expression by the percentage in decimal form (divided by 100).

(x +3000) 10/100 = (x+3000) 0.1

Finally, that expression must be equal to the amount that they will spend in entertainment this year (5000).

(x + 3000) 0.1 =5000

Solving for x:

x+3000 = 5000/0.1

x +3000= 50,000

x = 50,000-3,000

x = $47,000

Feel free to ask for more if needed or if you did not understand something.

Answer 2

$47,000

Explanation:

Let u represent the unknown amount of budget

10/100× u = $5000

10u/100=$5000

Cross multiply both sides

10u= $500000

Divide both sides by the coefficient of u

10u/10=$500000/10

u= $50000

Therefore, this year's budget is $50000

Since Smith's budget this year is $3000 greater than last year's budget, to find last year's budget we simply subtract the difference from this year's budget.

$50000- $3000

= $47000

Thus, Smith's total budget for last year was $47000.